Guest blog by Andreea McGregor at Toovor - workflow management for creative teams.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator is currently writing to all small businesses to ensure that they have registered their business in line with The Data Protection (Charges and Information) Regulations 2018. It requires that every business that processes personal information needs to pay a yearly fee or either £40 or £60 depending on the size of your business. If you are not registered and payed up yearly then you could be fined up to £4000. There are not many situations where you would be exempt from paying a fee, but you can check at: www.ico.org.uk/fee-checker or call the helpline on: 0303123 1113. You will also be asked to appoint a Data Protection Officer for your business if your business is of a certain size. Follow the guidance on the registration form. You can find further information relating to data protection at: www.ico.org.uk/hub If you are a charity or non-profit organisation, please contact us and we can put you in touch with a governance and data protection specialist who would be happy to organise a free consultation.
A Virtual Marketing Manager or a Freelance Marketing Manager as a flexible and bespoke resource is a smart option for a growing business looking for professional marketing help and it can be provided at a fraction of the cost of employing a senior marketing professional. Read the blog - 5 reasons to engage an Outsourced Marketing Pro
As a small business, getting your IT Strategy right from the start can have a huge impact on your overall success.
Just because you have a snazzy Facebook, Instagram and twitter campaign doesn’t mean you’re covered. Tech is not enough, you still have to build a solid, trustworthy relationship. Here's just a few tips for successful social networking: Social media is constantly developing - fast. The sooner you get totally on board and up to date, the sooner you can take advantage of all the relevant technologies and opportunities. It is fast-moving area of marketing, but when done correctly, it can bring big benefits for your business. Claim your profile now: You might not be ready to start using social media but reserve your company name on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc so you do not lose the opportunity. Make sure you have this secured before you set up your business. Have clear goals: What do you want to achieve from social media? New contacts? Increased sales? Brand awareness? Having defined objectives about what you want will help take your campaign forward and keep you focussed. Look for your competition: Search for your competitors and evaluate their social media presence. What are they using/what response are they getting? Measure activity: as with all marketing, measurement is important. Everything that is clicked can be tracked, and most things online can be searched. Monitor website hits, sales, followers on Twitter. Keep an eye on any mention of your brand by setting up alerts and use analytics tools to measure performance. Content is king: The key to success is creating great content your audience will want to read and share. People don't want to read advertising and they won't share your blog posts if they are just sales pitches. Don't just throw up information - brand it, invite comments or use a call to action. Offer something unique: It doesn't have to be a money-off coupon or voucher it can simply be additional information about a product, top tips or business advice. Sharing valuable knowledge is always a winner. Integrate with your business and marketing strategy: To be a real success, integrate your social media and digital strategy with your organisations business strategy - top down. Have a clear social media policy and ensure that the brand message is clear and consistent. Keep talking: Social media is just that - social! Don't be afraid to share. You must have conversations online if you want to get followers, fans and readers. Reply to tweets about your company or brand, interact in forums, answer comments on your blog to start the trust building process. The more people trust you, the more they will share your message. Remember to still network in the real too - it's great to meet up with those you have been talking to on social media to put a human face to the name. Keep motivated: Social media is an ongoing effort and you need to keep the effort up. Success is slow growing but it will only come if you maintain your campaign and keep your followers interested.
